Audit reveals irregularities in 53 municipalities.

Alagoas247 - An audit by the Ministry of Social Security revealed that most cities in Alagoas are not making the required contributions to the Municipal Employees' Pension Fund. The suspected fraud is being investigated by the State Public Prosecutor's Office (MPE). If confirmed, those responsible for the misappropriation will face charges of embezzlement of social security funds.

According to the fund's treasurer, Cícera Correia Duarte, the shortfall has already generated two thousand complaints. "These are employees from all areas: Education, Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and even Health," she reported.

The principal of a municipal school in Pilar, Antônia Maria do Amaral, expresses her concern about the possibility of not receiving the funds. "There was this deduction from the Education employees' salaries, which wasn't being passed on to Social Security. This is a very worrying and sad situation, because we dedicate our lives and work for years and years," laments the public servant.

The money should have been transferred to the Municipal Pension Fund, but a report from the Ministry of Social Security reveals that, between November 2009 and December 2012, the municipality failed to transfer almost R$ 5,5 million to the fund. The loss is being investigated by the State Public Prosecutor's Office.

According to the public prosecutor of Pilar, Jorge Dória, the most affected party is the public employee, who risks not being able to retire or receive any social security benefits. According to Dória's testimony, the municipal fund is not solely supplied by what is deducted from employees' paychecks, as the city hall also assumes an employer contribution. "If the resources don't enter the fund, evidently they will never have their benefits guaranteed," explains the prosecutor.

The Pilar city hall states that the financial shortfall occurred during the previous administration and that the project for the debt installment plan has already been approved by the City Council. “We are negotiating with the INSS (Brazilian National Social Security Institute) to arrange a long-term payment plan so we can settle this existing debt. After all, this debt belongs to the city hall, so it has to be paid,” says Carlos Alberto Canuto, the city's mayor.

The Pilar region is not the only one in the state suspected of the crime of misappropriation of social security funds. The Ministry of Social Security reports that out of the 102 municipalities in Alagoas, 53 have irregularities. In another 10, audits are still underway.

“This is not a good time for municipalities. It is an extraordinary crisis, and proper management is needed to ensure that these resources are deposited into the Social Security account,” says the president of the Association of Municipalities of Alagoas (AMA), Marcelo Beltrão. He clarifies that he always tries to guide managers on this transfer, but each municipality has its own autonomy.

With gazetaweb.com